


A Little Knowledge

by AriesOnMars



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hurt/Comfortverse, Anodyneverse, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-24
Updated: 2018-06-07
Packaged: 2019-04-27 04:09:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14417364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AriesOnMars/pseuds/AriesOnMars
Summary: Seto Kaiba has managed to control and suppress the urge to comfort and care that comes with being an anodyne for years, but when confronted with Joey's pain it's too much to ignore.





	1. Chapter 1

When they were younger, only a few months out of the orphanage, Mokuba had a bad reaction to a vaccine. Seto didn't fault Gozaburo for having the inoculations arraigned--it was one of the only times he could ever really remember the man had done something that a typical parent would do to care for his children. If it had been left at that then he likely would have never remembered it other than one nice moment in their lives where he had been able to sit beside his brother and take care of him. He'd gotten used to doing it in the orphanage, in fact even at ten years old he'd even done it for a few other children as well but his brother always came first. He hadn't thought at the time that he wouldn't be able to do it again. He went to his brother in the morning after he missed breakfast, sat on the edge of the too-big bed that Mokuba would never really grow into, coaxed him into eating a few bites of oatmeal and replaced the cold pack on his forehead to help with his fever. Seto hadn't even thought of his tutors or their father until he had been roughly pulled away by the arm and out of Mokuba's room.

 

He remembered arguing, struggling, and yelling when he was dragged too far away. He didn't remember biting the tutor who'd grabbed him but he saw the stitches after the fact and he believed it when the psychiatrist told him he'd had what was essentially an aggressive panic attack. He talked with her for too long and whenever she asked what he was thinking of at the moment he always said he was thinking of his brother. It was true, he was sick, and Mokuba needed him. He couldn't take the aches and the fever away, but he could make them better. When finally they were done he was told to wait outside while she spoke to his father. Seto listened through the door when they spoke and he heard Gozaburo spit the word out like a swear.

 

> _"Anodyne_."

 

With a word came a definition. Anodyne. Adjective: to relieve pain; to soothe the mind or body. Noun: a medicine that relieves or allays pain; anything that relieves distress or pain; one who soothes the mind or body of someone in pain or distress.

 

Even with his tutoring Seto had too much time on his hands during that week. He wasn't permitted to be anywhere near his brother while he was ill, and he was informed that should he ever be exceedingly emotional again he wouldn't see his brother unsupervised at all. He had to find a way to occupy himself so he wouldn't go crazy wondering what was happening to Mokuba, and so he sought to expand the definition of his new word.

  

> _"Seto has shown exceptionally attuned anodyne tendencies even at such a young age. This may be a result of the loss of his parents and being left to care and provide for a younger sibling. Mild psychotic break occurred when trying to separate him from his brother but at this time I'm unsure if he'll  respond more favorably to similar stimuli in the future. In order to relieve mental stress I recommend allowing him to stay with Mokuba while he recovers especially as he's still acclimating to his new home and recent adoption."_

 

Years passed and Seto's library grew. Not all at once, after all he wasn't supposed to have been able to get his hands on the psychiatrists's initial report and that had been the cornerstone of his understanding, but his knowledge of what he was steadily became stronger. He read and he learned everything he wasn't supposed to be, and he hid the compulsion to care for his brother when he knew he was hurt. It was only when they were alone that he'd pick Mokuba up and hold him and soothe whatever bruises or scrapes he'd managed to get during the day. It helped some that over time while Seto grew into his desire to care for someone Mokuba seemed to grow out of his need to be taken care of. It was easier to pretend he didn't need it if Mokuba wasn't running to him after every little problem.

 

It was easier, but lonelier. 

 

> _"Current statistics indicate that approximately 25% of a given population can be classified as anodyne with varying levels of intensity, wherein an individual will have an overwhelming desire to comfort or care for an injured or distressed individual. An inability to provide this comfort will usually result in mental distress ranging from minor agitation to hostile and aggressive behavior. In the same surveys 10%~15% of a given population can be classified as dysodyne, wherein an individual will seek out comfort for injuries or stress and respond poorly to clinical treatments without any additional affection. In severe cases dysodyne individuals will seek comfort before medical attention. It is rare for biological families to display both anodyne and dysodyne tendencies, the rough estimation is at >.2%"_

 

Dysodyne, a new word. Unlike anodyne it had no place in proper language. It existed only as a reflection of him, twisting anodyne's 'painless' translation into something closer to 'bad pain' but not quite. Someone who would take everything Seto had to offer without giving anything back. An unnecessary pit to waste effort and care on. Unlike Mokuba who could take care of himself if he had to. Unlike Mokuba who had begun to push away his brother's hand when he'd reach to pet his hair after one too many times. Someone who would be glad to receive an overabundance of care...

 

Not that it mattered. He wasn't going to seek out anyone, and no one knew him well enough to try seeking him out either. 

  

> _"Dysodyne individuals with improper or lacking emotional and physical support will occasionally adopt pseudo-anodyne traits. They may become overly protective of friends and family both emotionally and psychically, but often are unable to provide the comfort they themselves want. It is not uncommon for dysodyne to avoid someone in recovery even while attempting to help them emotionally or financially.This can also be coupled with extensive physical strain or aggressive confrontations in a subconscious effort to seek out the attention they're lacking. When asked to elaborate on their altruistic habits multiple individuals expressed wanting to take away pain and discomfort because they knew how badly it felt to be alone during such a time."_

 

Eventually Seto knew enough to identify traits that others likely didn't notice in themselves or their peers. A very minor injury, like a paper-cut, could reveal more than anyone assumed. It had happened often enough in classes he could recognize it in his classmates. The hiss of pain and any anodyne would glance towards it. Even he couldn't keep from flicking his eyes towards the person and then quickly away. There was a rigidity in the shoulders and neck when one wanted to get up and go to the person but had to stay seated. Eventually he began to notice the students who would quickly glance away from the gasp instead of towards it. Dysodyne, unable or simply not wanting to see pain on another's face. And then the person who was hurt, how they reacted immediately revealed a good deal. Anodyne, always quick to comfort, would reassure someone watching them before tending to themselves. Someone who was neither would simply tend to their own injury quickly or try to ignore it. Dysodyne always paused. He'd never read anything about it, but he'd noticed it. They paused, just a beat, just to wait and see if any of the people watching them would come to help, and when they didn't they'd be forced to take care of themselves.

 

He could ignore a paper-cut. It was unpleasant, but possible. It was harder to ignore a bigger problem. It was harder to ignore someone trembling and trying hard to suppress it. It was harder to ignore Wheeler hunched in the back of the shuttle, breathing far too slow and even to be natural, and sitting far too stiffly to be comfortable. He'd noticed it about him before, when he had a split lip or a bruise, some token from the last fight the idiot had managed to drag himself into. A slight moment to pause, wait, see if someone would tend to him. Usually he did have someone to tend to him, but not this time. Yugi was lost in thought--he usually was after a tournament--and he was sitting with his back to his friend and looking out of the window, idly touching the puzzle around his neck now and then. 

 

It was nothing. Wheeler was just tired, exhaustion often came after the end of a tournament. So much prep work, adrenaline, expectation, mental effort. It reached it's peak for every player at some point or another, and it probably peaked for Joey about five minutes in. Even so he'd pressed on, and managed to find a place in the top finalists, but now the ceremonies were over and the last of the excitement was winding down, and he was crashing. It was easy to be angry at him for it. He should have known his own limits by now, he'd chased along after Yugi to enough battles to know he was in over his head. And it was easy to be angry at Yugi who was oblivious to all of it.

 

 _He's **your** friend,_  Seto thought with a glare.  _If he's yours then **fix** him_.

 

But Yugi didn't hear his thoughts, and Joey didn't stop trembling, and Seto couldn't get rid of the itching, twitching feeling that he had to  _do_ something. If the blond had managed to stay seated the whole ride it would have just been an uncomfortable experience but instead he got up and moved to the back, gripping every empty seat along the way to keep his balance. Seto watched him leave, then looked around. Everyone was in their own world, Yugi was still staring into nothing, others were dozing, sorting their cards and muttering to themselves, on a laptop despite the lack of an internet connection. He moved quickly, quietly, and followed Wheeler to the back.

 

"C'mon..." Even Wheeler's voice sounded tired and shaky. They were out of sight in an area just barely big enough for someone to have privacy. First-aid and assorted emergency supplies on one side, and the small bathroom on the other.

 

"What are you looking for?"

 

Joey jumped and knocked a good handful of things off the shelf he was rooting through. He hissed, pressed a hand to his forehead, and his shoulders sagged. "Somethin' for my head, it's killin' me. Why do you care, Kaiba?"

 

Seto stopped himself for a moment, considered leaving, but he reached out to put his hand on Wheeler's back instead. He wouldn't be able to rest if he had the other man on the edge of his consciousness, trembling and aching and distracting him from anything even mildly constructive. He hadn't actually ever encountered a dysodyne personally in this state before. He expected to be argued with, shoved away, he expected a fight and a reason to leave. Instead Joey seemed to melt under his hand. It was too easy to slide his hand up the shorter man's back and to his neck, it was too natural to touch along it and feel the tense muscles ease under his hand, it was too normal to bury his fingers in blond hair and pull him closer. 

 

"You don't need pills, you need to rest." The words were meant to come out harsher, but this close and with Wheeler sagging against him it was hard to talk above a murmur. He kept touching through his hair, working his fingertips slow circles against his scalp even after Joey finally stopped trembling. 

  

> _"In some ancient cultures dysodyne were seen has having a type of divine suffering. They were said to be a vessel for gods to experience human emotions and needs, although with an intensity that a human alone couldn't satisfy. Similarly anodyne often found themselves in high ranking positions as magicians, or priests."_


	2. Chapter 2

Three months passed and Seto assumed he and Joey had mutually agreed to put the moment on the tournament transport behind them, but of course he shouldn't have given the mutt that much credit. He'd assumed as much simply from the facts of the situation. Joey didn't have the means or motivation to use something simply biological against him, and even if he did manage to try and blackmail Seto he wouldn't get far with it. That had been the only thing he'd assumed would come out of what had happened between them. He didn't expect Joey to come to him after school one day, one arm held stiffly against his body and blood dripping from his split lip. Joey didn't even say anything, he just came closer to Seto, moving awkwardly and clearly trying to move his right leg as little as possible.

 

"Go to the nurse," Seto said stiffly. He wasn't leaving, but he was trying hard not to reach out and touch him.

 

"Can't," Joey muttered. He closed the gap between them and pressed his forehead to Seto's shoulder. It would be a wonder if he didn't get some dirt or blood on his uniform this way. "I can't get in trouble for fighting again."

 

"Then stop fighting," he thought about pushing him away but when he actually raised his hand he ended up putting it on the back of Joey's neck to hold him close. This close he could feel the other man relax, his shoulders sagged, and he pressed closer without reaching up to touch Seto back. He'd need to have his uniform cleaned later but right now a little blood seemed like a small price to pay to feel the blond tucking against him and hear his ragged breathing evening out. Seto still wanted to leave, he wanted to be able to ignore Joey and how he hurt, and he hated that the blond knew enough about him now to know he could come to him. Long, thin fingers slid through Joey's hair and Seto muttered softly, "How bad are you hurt?" 

 

"He had a bat."

 

For anyone else that would have been the moment to take Joey to a hospital. Get him to a doctor, someone who could treat him professionally, and even try to get the offending student expelled. But at that moment Seto didn't care about the other student and he didn't care about doctors, the only thing he could focus on was the way Joey was pressed against him, the feeling of his hair under his hand, and that itching, twitching feeling that made him want to do  _more._ He wanted to find every bruise, he wanted to know exactly how bad he was hurt, and he wanted to take away every ache. Only him, no one else. He didn't want anyone to touch Joey until he was better again. 

 

Seto told him as much, muttering low against Joey's hair as he kept petting over him, and Joey nodded against Seto's shoulder. That was all it took.

 

* * *

 

 They arrived before Mokuba, which wasn't surprising but Seto was glad for it anyway. He'd have to explain their guest to his brother at some point in the near future, but for right now he was just going to focus on the present. Seto sent the servants who came to greet him out for what medical supplies he could think of that he didn't already have and didn't bothering to answer their questioning glances at Joey.

 

"Nice house," Joey mumbled. He wasn't walking well, and he wasn't even trying to pretend he could, but he wasn't leaning on Seto on the way in. Not yet, at least. "S'big."

 

"Leave your shoes at the door," Seto said curtly. He removed his first and stepped out of the entryway and into the mansion proper, glancing back at Wheeler. Joey had a much harder time of it, he was shifting, trying not to put too much weight on his right leg, and when he moved to get his foot out of his shoe he visibly winced. Seto didn't think about it, he just reacted, kneeling down and getting Joey's shoe off for him along with his sock, touching over his ankle carefully to see if there was anywhere he was bruised or swollen. There was nothing wrong with his ankle that Seto could see, but as he slid his hand up over the back of his calf he could feel the heat of a rising bruise hidden under Joey's pant leg. There was a strange sort of ease at finding the bruise there, like remembering an answer he'd almost forgotten to a question right in front of him.

 

"Not sure what he was aimin' for, my ankle or my knee, but he didn't get either," Joey muttered as Seto found the bruise.

 

"Did you start the fight?" Seto asked as he moved to get Joey's other shoe off. There was a whimper as Joey moved to ease weight onto his bruised leg, but Seto wasn't entirely sure if it had come from the injured party or himself. Joey was quiet while his other shoe was removed and he glanced away when Seto stood again. This time he was firmer when he asked, "I asked if you started the fight, Wheeler."

 

"I didn't... start it  _this_ time. He was just still pissed from last week," Joey finally mumbled. 

 

"Good," Seto said as he took Joey's hand to inspect it. He started with the arm Joey wasn't holding stiffly against his side, just barely touching his thumb against the scraped skin and bruised knuckles. Adhesive bandages wouldn't work well, but he had gauze and wrap bandages and ointment to rub on the wounds. It looked like he fell in the dirt a few times too, best to get him as clean as he can before treating anything to avoid infection.  Making the lists in his mind of what to do, and in what order, was almost as soothing as the actions themselves. When Seto finally glanced up at the other man's face Joey was watching him, confusion and caution written on him, and Seto smirked. He probably got more than a few lectures about hurting himself with fighting and was expecting another. "If he got his revenge then this is over."

 

"Guess so," Joey admitted. 

 

"I'm going to get you cleaned up," Seto said, he stated it simply as a fact and he put his hand up to rub at Joey's cheek. There was either a smudge of dirt or a rising bruise on it and it was better to know which first. Joey didn't even hesitate to press into the touch, rubbing his cheek against Seto's palm with a soft, wanting sound. Maybe it was being in his own home, or how responsive Joey was to every touch, or the fact that he'd been ignoring and suppressing this need for too long, but in the end it was all the same. Seto pulled the shorter man closer, his hand still cupping his cheek, and he pressed a kiss to his forehead. The blond smelled like sweat and dirt--evidently he didn't walk away from the fight unscathed but he'd still fought back. Joey mumbled something, but Seto didn't catch it and he wasn't even sure if it was actually a word or just a sound to encourage him, and he felt Joey's good arm wrap around his waist carefully. 

 

* * *

 

There were other bathrooms, of course, but Seto brought his injured guest into the one that attached to the master bedroom. He hadn't thought it out before he got Joey there, but once he was standing on the white tile and easing the other's jacket and undershirt off he decided it made the most sense. After all it was stocked with enough first-aid and minor medical supplies to put a corner-store to shame. While not necessarily a good or a bad thing Seto found he was in the habit of picking up more over the counter medication than he really needed, always with the thought in the back of his mind of  _what if I need it next time_ _?_ He didn't hoard it, but he had one bottle for most anything imaginable, and he made sure to keep them in date. With the size of the bathroom the collection of bottles and packages barely stood out, all neatly organized on shelves put into it purely for that purpose once Seto claimed the master bedroom and adjoining bath for himself. Now more than ever there was a smug sense of pride in knowing how much Gozaburo would have detested the addition to what was once his own personal rooms.

 

"Raise your arms," Seto said. It wasn't really necessary to command him, with his undershirt halfway up there wasn't a lot else Joey could do, but it still took him a moment to finally ease his arms up so Seto could pull his shirt up over his head and toss it aside. With half of his clothing off Seto could look over him and he touched over his skin, tracing over every darkening bruise and moving around Joey so he could see his side, his back, looking over his shoulders and raising his arms up to see what damage there was. Joey was compliant, moving the way Seto wanted him to with barely more than a nudge in the right direction. Each bruise gave him the same feeling as when he found the one on the back of Joey's leg, a content sense of satisfaction that he's found every problem, every injury. He barely had to think about it once he'd seen the bruises to keep his touch light over them, or to move his hand so his fingers avoided the injuries entirely. Once he knew where every darkening bruise was he knew he could make them better with ice and time and care.

 

"It looks like you were only hit one or two times before your assailant lost his weapon," Seto commented. He was looking over Joey's injured arm now, just barely touching the reddened and swollen skin over his hand. 

 

"Three," Joey corrected. 

 

"Your hand?" Seto asked.

 

"I twisted it weird getting the bat away from him, then hurt it hitting him, but I didn't get hit there," Joey flexed his fingers hesitantly and winced with a sharp hiss when his fingers were only curled halfway. 

 

"I don't know if it's sprained or if you've managed to break something," Seto said as he put his hand over Joey's and eased his fingers out again, holding his hand as he relaxed his grip. "I'm going to treat it like a sprain and we'll see how it is in the morning." 

 

He left Joey to go to the shelves and look over the bottles, finally picking something fairly strong to take care of pain and swelling and going to the sink to fill a glass with water, "Come here." 

 

"I think your sink's as big as my bathroom," Joey muttered as he came over to Seto, trying to hide the wince as he walked but it didn't help. Seto could almost feel the flare of pain in his own leg when Joey moved awkwardly. But he wouldn't be on his feet too much longer. As though it were the most natural thing in the world Seto raised the pills to Joey's lips and the blond opened his mouth to take them. After the pills Seto raised the glass of water, holding it and tipping it slowly as Joey drank from it to wash the painkillers down. 

 

 _I wonder if he'll have to be fed like this,_ Seto thought as he set the glass aside. He wasn't sure how he felt about that prospect, if it was an annoyance or if if would be nice to have Joey relying on him completely. He'd seen him write often enough in class, he knew his dominant hand was the one that was injured. 

 

"Lean down," Seto settled his hand on the back of Joey's neck. He expected some kind of a fight, but Joey leaned over the sink and braced his elbows on it carefully, his head sagging. Long, thin fingers stroked through blond hair and Seto barely managed to keep from muttering 'good boy' at him. That  _would_ get him a fight, and right now he wanted to get the other young man cleaned up and taken care of. Seto turned on the water, just to warm, and started working it through Joey's hair as he scooped it from the tap onto the other man's hair. This was just for him, Joey didn't need to be cleaned up this thoroughly, but he had a definite smell and if Seto was going to put him into a bed he wanted him at least clean when he went in. But it didn't seem he needed to make any arguments or excuses, Joey didn't make any move to get up, even when Seto left him with his head still in the sink to fetch the shampoo so he could start working it through his hair.

 

"Keep your eyes closed," he warned. Joey just made a low, agreeing sound as Seto worked his fingers through his hair and started scrubbing the shampoo through it. The shampoo foamed at first, but as it was worked through blond hair--with Seto's fingers carefully finding a bump on the back of his head and a scrape on the right side--the suds died back as he cleaned out more grease and sweat than he realized was there at first. He guided Joey's head closer to the faucet and rinsed out his hair carefully, then pulled him back a little from the water to scrub through his hair again. The second time the shampoo didn't lose its foam, and Seto took his time making sure Joey was washed completely before he rinsed his hair out a second time. As he eased Joey up he kept a hand on his chest, guiding him back slowly.

 

"The edge of the tub is behind you, sit," Seto said. He could feel Joey tense at the command but with his face wet and still streaked with traces of soap he couldn't open his eyes to look for himself, and he slowly eased down carefully to sit on the edge of the tub. Seto grabbed a towel to scrub over his hair carefully, making sure not to bother the bump and the scrape, and he moved to rub off the water and soap from his face, getting off some of the dirt that didn't mange to get washed away before. He rubbed over the cut on Joey's lip after that, gently rubbing to get the dried blood off. Joey's lips parted at the touch, and it took longer than he'd like to admit for Seto to stop and pull back from him. "You can open your eyes now, but stay sitting. I'm going to get you cleaned up."

 

"Thought I was already clean," Joey managed a smile at him, careful of the cut on his lip.

 

 "Your hair's clean, not the rest of you," Seto corrected and left Joey to get a washcloth, getting it wet at the sink and coming back to pick up the soap from the tub and rub it against the damp fabric. He was careful as he washed over Joey's hands, his uninjured one first and then gently washing the grime and cleaning his knuckles on his swollen hand. Joey winced and tried to stifle the whimpering little sounds he kept making, and Seto made no comment on them as he worked and dried his hands carefully with the towel he'd used on his hair before. He didn't spend more time on his hand than he had to, moving to Joey's chest to wash the dried sweat off of him, under his arms, and across his back. He took up the damp towel again to scrub the soap from him and get him mostly dried, fingers trailing over Joey's skin where his bruises were darkening and rising to the surface, counting each deep, large one so he could get enough cold packs for each of them. This was more indulgent than he would have admitted aloud. Even when he was little Mokuba didn't let Seto fuss so thoroughly over him. He didn't want to be babied, and then he felt weird with how completely his brother wanted to take care of him. But Mokuba wasn't dysodyne, and he wasn't anodyne so he didn't understand the contentment that came with tending to someone when they needed it most. Joey needed this attention, almost as much as Seto needed to give it. 

 

"Feels better," Joey sighed. His eyes were closed again and without thinking Seto stroked over his cheek. Joey turned into the touch, resting his cheek in Seto's palm and looking for all the world like he was ready to crash where he was.

 

"You'll feel better in bed," Seto said softer than he meant to. Joey sighed, shifted, and stoop up carefully with a wince. This time Seto came to his side and wrapped an arm around him to help take the weight off of Joey's bad leg and guide him back into the master bedroom. As he guided Joey across the room he considered putting him in a guest bedroom, but instead he eased Joey down to sit on the edge of his own bed. This wing didn't have guest bedrooms near it. The library, and home office, and a study that Seto had converted for his duel monsters card collection were down this wing, but other than Mokuba's room there weren't any others with beds nearby. Right now Seto needed Joey close, somewhere he could check on him easily, and this was the best place for that. The bed was large enough he could set Wheeler on one side of it and stay on the other, and if anything came up during the night it could be taken care of quickly. 

 

As he decided it Seto stroked over Joey's damp hair. He felt better now that he was clean, and now that the painkiller was kicking in he sagged against Seto's hands as he pressed into the touches. He was less coordinated, and more pliant as Seto pushed him back into the bed and nudged him into place. Like cleaning him there was something indulgent about getting him settled into the bed, and Seto pilled over pillows to settle under Joey's swollen hand and bruised leg, elevating them both. Even his uninjured arm Seto moved, placing it on Joey's flat belly as he got him settled and pulling up a blanket to cover him.

 

"I'm going to get ice packs for your hand and leg," he spoke softly as he watched Joey's face. He seemed to be dozing off already, but after a moment the other man nodded and mumbled something. Seto moved to set a hand against his cheek and touch his thumb near his split lip. He was still planning to take care of him if Joey fell asleep, starting with ice packs but ointment for the cut on his lip would be right after. "Don't talk, just rest." 

 

Either Joey had actually managed to doze off that quickly or he was listening for once, because he just sighed at the touch and relaxed under Seto's hand, and that was all. 

 

* * *

 

By the time Mokuba came home Seto had already decided he was going to keep Joey overnight. It had been in the back of his mind since he had the young man in his house, but more in the way that he hadn't really pictured himself kicking the blond out at any point. It was unlikely Joey would be asking to leave on his own any time soon, he was still hurt even with ice and medication and any dysodyne would be reluctant to abandon a source of comfort. Seto could give him what he needed and since they had a shared interest in this he could even avoid pointing out Wheeler's many flaws to him during this time. 

 

"We have a guest," Seto said simply as he put the supplies back into the bag the maid had brought them in. A brace for Joey's hand and wrap bandages, stronger painkillers that would help him get to sleep and stay asleep at night as well as reduce swelling significantly, and a handful of other things he hadn't had a need to buy before.

 

"Really?" Mokuba frowned at his brother. They'd never really had guests before, at least not in the sense of wanting someone over with no ulterior motive. "Do I have to be dressed nice for dinner?"

 

"You can do what you like, but I might not be joining you." It wouldn't do any good to move Joey in his state. Far better to make sure he stayed in a bed and for Seto to be close in case he needed help.

 

"Really." This time Mokuba just sounded doubtful. "You have someone over and I'm not going to see you tonight? It's not a business thing, you'd let me know about anything going on if it was."

 

"It's not about business," Seto agreed. If he didn't know his little brother so well he'd hope that Mokuba would leave it at that.

 

"Then what is it?" Mokuba asked as he peered into the bag with the bandages his brother was holding. "You didn't kidnap someone or something did you?"

 

" _No_ ," Seto frowned and if it was anyone else other than his brother he wouldn't have given in. "Wheeler was hurt so I've brought him here."

 

"And he's fine with that?"

 

"He's dysodyne," Seto answered. "He needs to be taken care of, and it's difficult for me to turn him away. If he overstays his welcome he'll be escorted from the property but until then this can be mutually beneficial." 

 

"I didn't think you liked him enough to do this."

 

"I don't like him," Seto said, a little more sharply than he meant to. "This is a biological urge, nothing more."

 

"It's kinda weird," Mokuba said. "He gets hurt a lot for someone who hates being hurt, doesn't he?"

 

"He does," Seto agreed. "But this can be complicated. If you have questions about what it's like to crave comfort he'll be able to answer them better than I could when he's awake."

 

"So I can see him? Or is he gonna be weird about being hurt?"

 

"You can see him when he wakes up." 

 

"At least he found you," Mokuba shrugged. "There's nobody else who could take better care of, well, anybody."

 

Seto smiled just slightly at that with a smug feeling of contentment settling in him. It did make sense that there was nobody better than him, apparently not even Yugi if Joey came to Seto first.


End file.
